PASSPORT RENEWAL APPLICATION FORM REQUIREMENTS

Application Form

Application Form

Overview

The Passport Application Form is the first requirement for any kind of British passport application. The form is an A3-sized brown document with 10 sections that is issued by Her Majesty's Passport Office. The same form is used for all types of passport applications, however the way it is completed differs. You will find guidance below on how to successfully complete it.

Where to obtain it

The passport application form can be obtained from:

Rapid British Passports UK: We can send the British passport application form to our clients by post. Please click here to request the passport application form.

Some post offices; to locate a post office that has the form go to: http://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder and select "passport Check & Send" in the service drop down menu.

How to complete the application form

General requirements

The form must be completed in black ink.

Writing must be in block capital letters.

All written answers need to be within the white boxes on the form.

Minor mistakes can be crossed out in black ink. Correction fluid is not permitted.

If you make more than three mistakes on any line or do not provide a clear signature in Section 9, you should complete a new application form.

Guidance per section

Section 1: What kind of passport do you want to apply for?

Put a mark in the box "Renewal"

Unless stated otherwise you will receive a 32-page passport. If you would rather own a 48-page passport make sure you put a mark in the appropriate box.

Section 2: Who will be the owner of the passport?

The name provided needs to be the same as the one shown on your birth, marriage or nationality certificate.

For people who have middle names, one box needs to be left blank for a space between the two names.

You are only permitted to include 30 characters (including spaces) in the personal details section of the passport application form for the first and middle name, and then you are given another 30 for the surname. If all of your names won't fit in this space, write them instead in the way you would want them to be seen on your passport. It is then important that you provide your full name in Section 8 and this can then later be added to the observation page on your official passport.

Give full details of a residential United Kingdom address. The Passport Office may decide to check that the address given is where you actually live. If they find out that you do not actually live there, your application could be delayed unless you have already provided a full explanation of your circumstances in Section 8.

Your passport will be returned to the address given by the Passport Office. If you have an alternative address where you would like it to be delivered you need to explain why and the return address in Section 8 of the application form. For clients using Rapid British Passports this does not apply, as your passport will be.

Mark the box to indicate whether you are a man or a woman.

You need to give the names of the country and town of your birth. Remember, these details need to be the same as those written on your birth, registration, or naturalisation certificate, or what is written on your previous British passport.

Make sure you provide a telephone number from the United Kingdom only. Contact information from abroad will be rejected. A text relay number may be provided in Section 8 if there is not enough room in the space provided here.

Use Section 8 of the application form for contact details and your name if you do not have enough space here.

Section 3: Have you had or been included on a passport before?

Provide your current passport number where requested whether it is valid or expired.

Section 4: Parents' details

Not applicable for passport renewals.

Section 5: Your certificate of naturalisation or registration

Mark the box which says 'no' if the applicant has been British since they were born. Aside from that there are no other details which you need to fill in in Section 5.

If applicable, fill in the section and provide a copy of your certificate of registration or naturalisation with your passport application.

Section 6: Children aged 12-15

This section is not applicable for adult passport renewals.

Section 7: Blank

Please leave blank.

Section 8: More information

Use Section 8 to

Complete a section you have not been able to fully complete due to a lack of space (e.g. your names did not fit in the dedicated boxes).

Explain the reason why a signature could not be provided in Section 6 or 9. You can also attach a letter of explanation from an appropriate person such as a career, doctor, parent or social worker.

Add any extra information to support your application.

Section 9: Declaration

Please ensure your signature does not touch the borders of the box.

Section 10: Countersignature

Only complete this section if you are not recognisable from the photo in your most recent passport. You will then need to provide 2 passport photos and get a counter signatory in order to complete Section 10.

This section must be completed by the counter signatory.

How do you define a counter signatory? A counter signatory is a man or woman who can completely confirm your identity and be able to state to the best of their knowledge that the information you have provided in the form is true and correct, they must also be able to verify that the photograph is of you. The person providing the countersignature must hold a valid UK passport, live permanently in the UK and have been acquainted with the person applying for the passport for a minimum of 2 years. The counter signatory must work in a professional capacity and not be related to you in any way, be in a romantic or personal relationship with you or have a job with the HM Passport Office. If you would like some more information on who qualifies to be your counter signatory, click here.

The counter signatory must:

Provide their full address and all the details of where they can be reached; this could be a home address or a business address.

Validate one of the applicant's passport photos, and state that the image is in the true likeness of ‘applicant's name', add their own signature and date it.

Write their initials besides any mistakes they make in Section 10.

The Passport Office will have a process to check that the counter signatory is a genuine one, and if for any reason they are not satisfied then they may ask you to provide a new application form with a new counter signatory.

The signature provided by the counter signatory is not allowed to touch the borders of the signature box.